A Sandwich a Day: L & M Deli's Sandwiches are Decent if You're Nearby

In this great city of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around New York. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know.—The Mgmt.

[Photographs: Max Falkowitz]

L & M Deli has been in Chelsea since 197,1 and boasts a full grocery selection alongside a salad bar and a deli that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They're a nondescript neighborhood spot, and we're not going out of our way for their sandwiches, but if you're looking for a hot, filling, and affordable lunch in Chelsea, they have some sandwiches that might be up your alley.

The Seventh Avenue Chelsmore ($8.25) is one of the specialty sandwiches here, featuring griddled roast beef, melted cheddar, fried onions, and brown gravy on a toasted hero. This sandwich doesn't improve with age—the fried onions lose their crispness and the bread softens in its wrapper—so it's best eaten on the run. None of the components on their own stand out, and we wish that beef were a little more tender, but they come together for a salty, cheesy hero that'd be welcome in colder weather. If you do plan to eat it later, consider doctoring it up with some hot sauce like we did.

L & M does a classic Reuben, but they also do one with turkey ($8.25). Some of us missed the pungent salty kick of corned beef, but the turkey lets the sweet dressing and tangy sauerkraut stand out. It's another sandwich best eaten quickly: the well-toasted rye bread steams up if you want too long.

Service is fast and friendly—even though we went during prime lunchtime, the line was short and we were in and out in under 10 minutes. So if you're nearby and in need of a quick, cheap bite, you could do worse than the sandwiches here. One final tip: accept the deli man's offer of a free pickle; they're punchy and add the bite that both sandwiches needed.